Federal Policy Regarding Federal Student Aid and Drug Law Convictions

Students convicted of possession or sale of drugs

A student convicted of a federal or state drug offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV (federal) financial aid is ineligible for federal student aid (FSA).*

The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for FSA funds, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether a student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)

Possession of illegal drugs

Sale of illegal drugs

1st offense

1 year from date of conviction

2 years from date of conviction

2nd offense

2 years from date of conviction

Indefinite period

3rd offense and beyond

Indefinite period

Indefinite period

* Exceptions include any conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from a student’s record, a conviction received as a juvenile (unless the student was tried as an adult), and any conviction for an offense that did not occur when a student was receiving Title IV aid.